Abstract: An immersion upper layer film composition is provided which exhibits sufficient transparency for the exposure wavelength 248 nm(KrF) and 193 nm(ArF), can form a protective film on the photoresist film without being intermixed with the photoresist film, is not eluted into water used during immersion exposure to maintain a stable film, and can be easily dissolved in an alkaline developer. The composition applied to coat on the photoresist film when using an immersion exposure device which is irradiated through water provided between a lens and the photoresist film, the composition comprises a resin forming a water-stable film during irradiation and being dissolved in a subsequent developer, and a solvent containing a monovalent alcohol having 6 or less carbon atoms, and the resin contains a resin component having an alcoholic hydroxyl group on the side chain containing a fluoroalkyl group on at least the carbon atom of ?-position.

Abstract: A pattern forming method includes forming a photoresist film on a substrate using a radiation-sensitive composition. An immersion liquid protecting film insoluble in an immersion liquid is formed on the photoresist film. The photoresist film is exposed to radiation through a mask having a predetermined pattern and through the immersion liquid. The exposed photoresist film is developed to form a photoresist pattern. The radiation-sensitive composition includes a polymer and a radiation-sensitive acid generator. The polymer includes a repeating unit (1) shown by a following formula (1) and a repeating unit (2) shown by a following formula (2). R1 represents a methyl group or the like, R2 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or the like, R3 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is an integer from 1 to 5.

Abstract: A first controller stores externally input data to a memory of the first controller, reads data stored in the memory of the first controller and transmits the data to a second controller through a first controller bridge, detects a failure at the first controller bridge in transmission of the data. The second controller receives the data through a second controller bridge, writes the received data into a memory of the second controller, and determines whether the failure is caused by the first controller if a failure occurs in the memory controller and the second controller bridge. If a failure is detected in the first controller and the second controller and the failure is caused by the first controller, the first controller transmits the data causing the failure during transmission through the first controller bridge and the second controller receives the data through the second controller bridge.

Abstract: A pattern-forming method includes forming a silicon-containing film on a substrate, the silicon-containing film having a mass ratio of silicon atoms to carbon atoms of 2 to 12. A shape transfer target layer is formed on the silicon-containing film. A fine pattern is transferred to the shape transfer target layer using a stamper that has a fine pattern to form a resist pattern. The silicon-containing film and the substrate are dry-etched using the resist pattern as a mask to form a pattern on the substrate in nanoimprint lithography. According to another aspect of the invention, a silicon-containing film includes silicon atoms and carbon atoms. A mass ratio of silicon atoms to carbon atoms is 2 to 12. The silicon-containing film is used for a pattern-forming method employed in nanoimprint lithography.

Abstract: A compound has a following general formula (1). R0 represents an (n+1)-valent linear or branched aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or the like. R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or a trifluoromethyl group. R2 represents a single bond or the like. R3 represent a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or the like. X represents a linear or branched fluoroalkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and n is an integer from 1 to 5.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a first polymer including a repeating unit represented by a following formula (I). X+ is an onium cation. X+ in the formula (I) is preferably an onium cation represented by a following formula (1-1), an onium cation represented by a following formula (1-2) or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive composition includes (A) a first polymer which becomes alkali-soluble by the action of an acid and does not contain a fluorine atom, (B) a second polymer having a repeating unit (b1) shown by the following formula (1) and a fluorine-containing repeating unit (b2), and (C) a radiation-sensitive acid generator, the content of the second polymer (B) in the composition being 0.1 to 20 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the first polymer (A). wherein R1 represents a monovalent organic group, and R8 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms. The composition can form a resist film capable of suppressing defects inherent to liquid immersion lithography such as watermark defects and bubble defects.

Abstract: An upper layer-forming composition includes a resin, and a solvent. The resin is dissolvable in a developer for a photoresist film which is to be covered by the upper layer-forming composition to form a pattern by exposure to radiation. The solvent dissolves the resin in the solvent. The solvent includes a compound shown by a formula (1). Each of R1 and R2 independently represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or a halogenated hydrocarbon group.

Abstract: A liquid immersion lithography upper-layer film-forming composition includes (A) a polymer that includes a structural unit (I) shown by the following formula (1), and (S) a solvent. R1 in the formula (1) represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or a trifluoromethyl group. The polymer (A) preferably further includes a structural unit (II) that includes a sulfo group. The polymer (A) preferably further includes a structural unit (III) shown by the following formula (3). R2 in the formula (3) represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or a trifluoromethyl group. R3 represents a linear or branched monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a monovalent alicyclic group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, provided that at least one hydrogen atom of the hydrocarbon group or the alicyclic group is substituted with a fluorine atom.

Abstract: An upper layer-forming composition formed on a photoresist while causing almost no intermixing with the photoresist film and a photoresist patterning method are provided. The upper layer-forming composition is stably maintained without being eluted in a medium such as water during liquid immersion lithography and is easily dissolved in an alkaline developer. The upper layer-forming composition covers a photoresist film for forming a pattern by exposure to radiation. The composition comprises a resin dissolvable in a developer for the photoresist film and a solvent in which the resin is dissolved. The solvent has a viscosity of less than 5.2×10?3 Pa·s at 20° C. In addition, the solvent does not cause intermixing of the photoresist film and the upper layer-forming composition. The solvent contains an ether or a hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a resin and a photoacid generator. The resin includes a polymer including a first repeating unit shown by a following formula (1) and an acid-dissociable group-containing repeating unit, wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an alicyclic alkylene group, and m is an integer from 1 to 3.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a resin, a photoacid generator, a fluorine-containing resin, and a lactone compound. The resin does not include a first fluorine-containing repeating unit. The resin includes a first repeating unit that becomes alkali-soluble due to an acid. The fluorine-containing resin includes a second fluorine-containing repeating unit and a second repeating unit that becomes alkali-soluble due to an acid. A content of the lactone compound in the radiation-sensitive resin composition is about 31 to about 200 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the resin.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition for liquid immersion lithography includes a resin component, a photoacid generator and a solvent. The resin component includes an acid-dissociable group-containing resin in an amount of more than 50% by mass. The acid-dissociable group-containing resin includes a repeating unit that includes a fluorine atom and an acid-dissociable group in a side chain of the repeating unit.

Abstract: Photoresist additive polymers and photoresist formulations that can be used in immersion lithography without the use of an additional topcoat. The resist compositions include a photoresist polymer, at least one photoacid generator, a solvent; and a photoresist additive polymer. Also a method of forming using photoresist formulations including photoresist additive polymers.

Abstract: A compound is shown by a following formula (1), wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or a trifluoromethyl group, R2 represents a methylene group, an ethylene group, a 1-methylethylene group, a 2-methylethylene group, a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms, or a derivative thereof, each of R3 represents at least one of a monovalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms, a derivative thereof, and a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, provided that two of R3 may bond to form a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms or a derivative thereof together with the carbon atom that is bonded thereto, and X represents a linear or branched fluoroalkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a composition for forming an upper layer film for immersion exposure capable of forming an upper layer film effectively inhibited from developing defects through an immersion exposure process, such as a watermark defect and dissolution residue defect. Also provided are an upper layer film for immersion exposure and a method of forming a resist pattern. The composition for forming an upper layer film includes a resin ingredient and a solvent. The resin ingredient includes a resin (A) having at least one kind of repeating units selected among those represented by the formulae (1-1) to (1-3) and at least either of the two kinds of repeating units represented by the formulae (2-1) and (2-2).

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive composition includes (A) a first polymer which becomes alkali-soluble by the action of an acid and does not contain a fluorine atom, (B) a second polymer having a repeating unit (b1) shown by the following formula (1) and a fluorine-containing repeating unit (b2), and (C) a radiation-sensitive acid generator, the content of the second polymer (B) in the composition being 0.1 to 20 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the first polymer (A). wherein R1 represents a monovalent organic group, and R8 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms. The composition can form a resist film capable of suppressing defects inherent to liquid immersion lithography such as watermark defects and bubble defects.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition includes (A) an acid labile group-containing resin which becomes alkali-soluble by an action of an acid, (B) a radiation-sensitive acid generator, and (C) a solvent. The resin (A) includes repeating units shown by formulas (1) and (2), wherein R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R3 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, X represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or an acyl group, m represents an integer from 1 to 18, and n represents an integer from 4 to 8.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive composition includes a polymer (A) which includes a repeating unit (1) shown by the following formula (1) and a repeating unit (2) shown by the following formula (2), and a radiation-sensitive acid generator (B). wherein R1 is a methyl group, R2 is a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and R3 is a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is an integer from 1 to 5. The composition is useful as a chemically-amplified resist having excellent resolution performance and exhibiting low LWR, low PEB temperature dependency, excellent pattern collapse resistance, and low defect-incurring properties.

Abstract: A multi-core processor which includes a plurality of processor dies. The multi-core processor has a first processor core which processes a first task and a second processor core which processes a second task. The first processor core and the second processor core are formed on each of the plurality of processor dies. When the first processor core makes a request for the second task processing in processing the first task, information on the second task is stored in a memory area used by the first processor core and interrupt notification is made to each of the second processor cores provided respectively on the plurality of processor dies. Each of the second processor cores having received the interrupt notification accesses the memory area used by the first processor core provided on the same processor die as the processor die on which the second processor core is provided.